Training and practicing psychologists compared with attorneys using the OMI and Child OMI

Abstract

The Opinions About Mental Illness (OMI) questionnaire developed by Cohen and Struening (1962) was administered to 912 psychologists and lawyers both in training and practice. Significant main effects were noted including gender, age, religion, race and marital status across the five factor OMI and Child OMI. Knowledge about mental illness and familiarity with the mentally ill were represented by items on the demographic sheet. Both demonstrated significant main effects. Most striking were the differences shown between groups of professionals and students. As hypothesized psychologists demonstrated scores significantly different on both the OMI and Child OMI reflecting more empathetic attitudes than all other groups. The psychologists were divided into three groups including cognitive-behavioral, psychoanalytic, and social psychologists. Analysis revealed no significant differences among the groups. The Child OMI developed by this examiner, indicated that psychologists but not lawyers had a more favorable view of children with mental illness than either law or psychology students. ftn*All degree requirements completed in 1994, but degree will be granted in 1995. ^